It’s a proven fact that regular exercise is linked to better sex. It can improve body image, energy, self-esteem and overall fitness.

If you want to turn up the heat in the bedroom, it can be as simple as lacing up your sneaks. After all, staying in shape doesn’t just help you look good—it can enhance your sex life, too.

“Physical fitness absolutely affects the physical intensity and quality of sex,” says Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD, co-author of The Orgasm Answer Guide. “Sex is a kind of exercise itself.” (Search: How many calories do you burn having sex?) Research shows that exercise can boost your testosterone levels, increase blood flow “down there,” and even improve your orgasms. Here, we get down and dirty and share seven ways that your workout could pay off between the sheets. Who knew that getting sweaty could be so sexy?